In this time of rising expenses, it’s a great time to reevaluate the amount of meat in your diet.  As a cost-saving measure, think of increasing the number of vegetarian meals you eat in a week.  It could help your waistline and cholesterol, too. According to the T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “The production of animal-based foods—particularly beef—is responsible for about half of the food system’s greenhouse gas emissions…cattle use far more resources than they produce in edible food, including about 45% of grain produced in the U.S.” Reducing our reliance on meat has many positive impacts.

Meat provides a great source of protein in most American diets. Consider adding protein-filled foods to help efficiently replace meat in your diet. Adding some of these foods can help you reduce or eliminate meat, improve the environment and lower your grocery bills. The Nutrition Source, a webpage from Harvard’s School of Public Health is a great resource on the nutrition behind various foods.  Here are three foods to try to increase your protein intake:

Quinoa

This seed is a superfood. One cooked cup of quinoa packs a whopping 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Since it is  Unlike some plant proteins, quinoa is a complete protein it it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies do not make on their own. Add it to salads, use it as a breakfast cereal, or use it to replace rice and pasta.

Lentils

Lentils can be a supplement or replacement for meats in burgers or tacos.  They contain antioxidants, so they can help fight diseases in the body. They also contain starch that is slowly digested by our bodies. This slow-digesting starch is good at lowering blood sugar levels. Toss them into salads, add them to thicken pasta sauces. 

Chia Seeds

These seeds are a great source of both fiber and protein.  Two tablespoons of chia seeds have 4 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber and 18% of the RDA of calcium. These seeds are filling, so adding them to smoothies or cooking with them gives your body a feeling of satiety. 

About the author

Kimberly Distilli

Kimberly Distilli, R.N. and founder of Wellness Balance, has spent almost three decades in the medical field. Kimberly devoted her life to taking care of others but it wasn’t until she became seriously ill with breast cancer that she discovered the impact of alternative, non-invasive therapies such as cold laser therapy, alkaline water, cellular cleansing and neurotoxin release.